Obituary of John Arthur Marangelo

Obituary for John Marangelo Florham Park – John Arthur Marangelo passed away at the age of 91 on January 29, 2021 of natural causes. He was born June 5th, 1929 in Jersey City, NJ to John F. and Lucy Scheidler Marangelo, and grew up in River Edge, NJ. John graduated from Fordham University and entered the Army in 1951, proudly serving as a 1st Lieutenant in the Korean War. After the war, John worked for Popular Club Plan, where he met his bride to be, Phyllis Joan Kopp. John and Phyllis were married on February 11, 1962 and moved to River Vale, NJ, welcoming two sons, Paul and Glenn. John worked for Montgomery Ward for over 25 years as a replenishment manager, and later for Channel Home Centers, before retiring in 1996. John was a life-long Yankees fan. He often told stories of going to Yankee stadium and watching some of the legendary greats play. The family shared many games together on TV and in person. John instilled a love for the ocean (and fishing) in his children. Family trips to Cape Cod yielded flounder from the surf, clams from the bay, and John’s 35-pound striped bass that was nearly as long as both of his boys at the time. Family camping trips further inspired a love for the outdoors in his children, which carried into their adult lives and careers. John was not always a man of many words, but his dedication to family was fierce. An invaluable gift to his children was his encouragement to follow their passions in life. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife of 58 years (Phyllis), and nephew (Howard Van Gurp). He is survived by his sons Paul Marangelo of Montpelier, VT and Glenn (Jen) Marangelo of Missoula, MT; his sister (Lucy Van Gurp) and four nephews Claude, Mark, Karl, and Philip; sister-in-law Karen Kopp and nephew Eric Kopp and niece Laurie Kopp; and cousins Doris Holdaway, Lois Lane, and Joyce Anderson. Memorial donations to the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium, PO Box 8885, Missoula, MT 59807 are welcome. Because of the worldwide pandemic, a private interment / celebration of life honoring both John and Phyllis (passed 4/17/20) will take place at a future date.